LOS ANGELES, Feb 8 — Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, Emma Thompson, Ralph Fiennes, Tom Holland and Selena Gomez have joined the cast of The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle, reports Deadline. They join Robert Downey Jr, signed up to the leading role almost a year ago.
The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle will be the latest movie adaptation of the children's books written by British author Hugh Lofting, published from the 1920s onwards. The original story, set in Victorian England, follows John Little, a country doctor who can talk to animals.
The adventures of John Dolittle have been brought to the big screen on several occasions. Rex Harrison played the character in the 1967 Doctor Dolittle musical directed by Richard Fleischer. The character was also made popular in the 2000s by Eddie Murphy.
For this latest adaptation — due in theatres April 2019 — Robert Downey Jr takes over as Doctor Dolittle. The actor, who plays superhero Iron Man, will be joined by Antonio Banderas as a pirate named Rassouli and Michael Sheen as Mudfly. Emma Thompson (Beauty and the Beast), Ralph Fiennes — who played Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies — Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming) and Selena Gomez will voice different animals.
The movie is due to start filming at the end of this month in London and is directed by Stephen Gaghan, who previously directed Syriana and wrote the screenplay for Traffic. The film is slated for release in US theatres April 12, 2019.
In the meantime, moviegoers can catch Robert Downey Jr in the upcoming Marvel movie Avengers: Infinity War out May 4, 2018, in the USA. — AFP-Relaxnews
